So they aren't pressing charges in that Sheridan case? He pulled a gun out to intimidate someone and then shot him in the scuffle. I guess the GZ case is going to broaden the definition of self defense going forward.

Self-appointed civil rights leaders and celebrities remained mum on the vicious beating of a white sixth-grader at the hands of three older African-Americans in Florida, despite a growing chorus of critics who called their silence hypocrisy given their recent, racially-charged condemnation of the Sunshine State.

“Three 15-yr-old black teens beat up a 13-yr-old white kid because he told school officials they tried to sell him drugs,” former congressman Allen West, an ex-Army Colonel who is African-American, wrote on his Facebook page. “Do you hear anything from Sharpton, Jackson, NAACP, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, liberal media, or Hollywood? Cat got your tongues or is it that pathetic hypocrisy revealing itself once again? Y'all just make me sick.”

"Black guilt"? :)

I dream of a day when news stories are written without mentioning the color of the actors/victims.

Troy Loney wrote:I'm curious where shad derives his ideas about the "black community" and it's "leaders". I'm sure there are people that fit his description, but that's a ridiculous generalization to apply to them.

The most influential voices in the black community are the ones that are the most inflammatory, irresponsible, and reckless in their rhetoric. We all know celebrities shouldn't really be listened to, but when people like Oprah Winfrey compare Trayvon Martin to the horrific Emmett Till murder, that DOES have a societal impact. The most influential voices out there are the ones that encourage pointing most of the blame at the "white establishment", and strongly discourage any kind of meaningful self-reflection.

Self-appointed civil rights leaders and celebrities remained mum on the vicious beating of a white sixth-grader at the hands of three older African-Americans in Florida, despite a growing chorus of critics who called their silence hypocrisy given their recent, racially-charged condemnation of the Sunshine State.

“Three 15-yr-old black teens beat up a 13-yr-old white kid because he told school officials they tried to sell him drugs,” former congressman Allen West, an ex-Army Colonel who is African-American, wrote on his Facebook page. “Do you hear anything from Sharpton, Jackson, NAACP, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, liberal media, or Hollywood? Cat got your tongues or is it that pathetic hypocrisy revealing itself once again? Y'all just make me sick.”

"Black guilt"?

I dream of a day when news stories are written without mentioning the color of the actors/victims.

You don't see the difference between crime between races and crimes committed because of the difference in race? It doesn't seem like it.

Self-appointed civil rights leaders and celebrities remained mum on the vicious beating of a white sixth-grader at the hands of three older African-Americans in Florida, despite a growing chorus of critics who called their silence hypocrisy given their recent, racially-charged condemnation of the Sunshine State.

“Three 15-yr-old black teens beat up a 13-yr-old white kid because he told school officials they tried to sell him drugs,” former congressman Allen West, an ex-Army Colonel who is African-American, wrote on his Facebook page. “Do you hear anything from Sharpton, Jackson, NAACP, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, liberal media, or Hollywood? Cat got your tongues or is it that pathetic hypocrisy revealing itself once again? Y'all just make me sick.”

"Black guilt"? :)

I dream of a day when news stories are written without mentioning the color of the actors/victims.

You don't see the difference between crime between races and crimes committed because of the difference in race? It doesn't seem like it.

The crime in that article was because three students thought one student "snitched" on them. It was drug related. There wasn't a single mention that they beat him up because of his race.

It's not always about race.

When it's not about race, I see no reason for the media to bring race into it, unless they're trying to "poke the hornets nest"

Troy Loney wrote:I'm curious where shad derives his ideas about the "black community" and it's "leaders". I'm sure there are people that fit his description, but that's a ridiculous generalization to apply to them.

The most influential voices in the black community are the ones that are the most inflammatory, irresponsible, and reckless in their rhetoric. We all know celebrities shouldn't really be listened to, but when people like Oprah Winfrey compare Trayvon Martin to the horrific Emmett Till murder, that DOES have a societal impact. The most influential voices out there are the ones that encourage pointing most of the blame at the "white establishment", and strongly discourage any kind of meaningful self-reflection.

Troy Loney wrote:I'm curious where shad derives his ideas about the "black community" and it's "leaders". I'm sure there are people that fit his description, but that's a ridiculous generalization to apply to them.

The most influential voices in the black community are the ones that are the most inflammatory, irresponsible, and reckless in their rhetoric. We all know celebrities shouldn't really be listened to, but when people like Oprah Winfrey compare Trayvon Martin to the horrific Emmett Till murder, that DOES have a societal impact. The most influential voices out there are the ones that encourage pointing most of the blame at the "white establishment", and strongly discourage any kind of meaningful self-reflection.

Troy Loney wrote:I'm curious where shad derives his ideas about the "black community" and it's "leaders". I'm sure there are people that fit his description, but that's a ridiculous generalization to apply to them.

The most influential voices in the black community are the ones that are the most inflammatory, irresponsible, and reckless in their rhetoric. We all know celebrities shouldn't really be listened to, but when people like Oprah Winfrey compare Trayvon Martin to the horrific Emmett Till murder, that DOES have a societal impact. The most influential voices out there are the ones that encourage pointing most of the blame at the "white establishment", and strongly discourage any kind of meaningful self-reflection.

Don't confuse loudest with most influential.

Regardless, these are the voices and mouthpieces that are constantly cited on network news, in newspapers, etc. In that respect, their voices DO have a major influence on their community. The WBC may be loud, but very few people take them seriously.

Troy Loney wrote:I'm curious where shad derives his ideas about the "black community" and it's "leaders". I'm sure there are people that fit his description, but that's a ridiculous generalization to apply to them.

The most influential voices in the black community are the ones that are the most inflammatory, irresponsible, and reckless in their rhetoric. We all know celebrities shouldn't really be listened to, but when people like Oprah Winfrey compare Trayvon Martin to the horrific Emmett Till murder, that DOES have a societal impact. The most influential voices out there are the ones that encourage pointing most of the blame at the "white establishment", and strongly discourage any kind of meaningful self-reflection.

I think it's a little silly to try and pretend that Jackson, Sharpton, Winfrey, Jay-Z, et al are not still widely respected and influential within their own community. Comparing their level of influence to the Westboro Baptist Church is disingenuous, to put it mildly.

Who cares what celebrities like that say. I think you're pointing at a segment of the black populace and labeling it the "black community". Like I said, there are probably lots of people that fit your profile, and lots that don't. It seems like you're making statements with authority, and I don't believe that you should be speaking with authority about the "black community"

Troy Loney wrote:I'm curious where shad derives his ideas about the "black community" and it's "leaders". I'm sure there are people that fit his description, but that's a ridiculous generalization to apply to them.

The most influential voices in the black community are the ones that are the most inflammatory, irresponsible, and reckless in their rhetoric. We all know celebrities shouldn't really be listened to, but when people like Oprah Winfrey compare Trayvon Martin to the horrific Emmett Till murder, that DOES have a societal impact. The most influential voices out there are the ones that encourage pointing most of the blame at the "white establishment", and strongly discourage any kind of meaningful self-reflection.

Don't confuse loudest with most influential.

People do the same thing with westboro

I don't think you could find more than a few dozen people in the whole country who would consider the WBC nitwits as influential.

Can the same be said about Al Sharpton? Jesse Jackson? Unfortunately, I don't think so. Their voices still carry weight and authority. However, so called 'leaders' like that often do more harm than good, imo. There are certainly still major race relation issues in this country, and minorities need strong advocates in their communities. But I fear Sharpton, Jackson et al are more interested in their own base of influence than in the righteousness of their presumptive cause. Too many of the people with a lineage that goes back to Selma and the civil rights movement of the 60s seem vested in that legacy than the furtherance of equality.

Sorry for the bump, but heard this AM that GZ's wife is filing for divorce. Apparently telling news orgs that GZ has a violent temper and his behavior has become erratic since the trial ended. She indicated that he has been seeking danger out since before he killed TM, and now carries the gun and seeks to get stopped or pulled over with it in his possession for the thrill.

Pitt87 wrote:Sorry for the bump, but heard this AM that GZ's wife is filing for divorce. Apparently telling news orgs that GZ has a violent temper and his behavior has become erratic since the trial ended. She indicated that he has been seeking danger out since before he killed TM, and now carries the gun and seeks to get stopped or pulled over with it in his possession for the thrill.